"John, I swear, I can't believe you were capable of breaking her heart like that"

"Mom-"

"She got here on her own, she got the news by herself. God only knows how she got through the week before she got here, because she was all alone. No one held her hand, your brother helped her tell your son, she had no one but Liam on the flight out here. What in hell do you have to say for yourself?"

"I don't" he said, "You're right. I should have been here. I hate that I wasn't. I should have known, I should have been there"

"Then why weren't you?"

"The FBI put complete blocking on my phone. Somehow, Mike got through last night, I quit this morning"

"Johnny-" she said, "This must all be hitting you pretty hard"

"I'm just so scared, Mom"

"Did you see her before she went into surgery?"

He shook his head, "I was too late"

"You're not too late" she told him, "She'll be out of the surgery in a few hours"

"You have no idea how awful that sounds to me. I haven't seen her in almost a year-"

"You can't change that now. now, you need to support her. I know she's going to be happy to see you"

"I need to see her, Mom"

"Well, let's go see your son for right now. That'll make the next few hours go by smoother"

"Daddy, I have to tell you so much!"

"Oh yeah? Well, I can't wait to hear it"

"Liam, how about we take your Daddy to the cafeteria and we'll get some jello and you can tell him all about it?" Michael said.

"Let's go!" Liam said.

Michael and Eve started walking with John and Liam holding hands behind him. Liam was already telling John all about his trips to London and how he got to Seattle and what he did everyday.

"Why the jello?" Eve asked.

"That's a Natalie move" Michael said, "John will only eat in crisis when food is put in front of him"

"How do you know that?"

"Do you remember when they broke up after the accident?"

"Yeah?"
"Natalie left me instructions for dealing with him in crisis mode. She didn't think anyone else would be able to deal with it. She said that she didn't trust anyone else and that whoever he inevitably dated after her wouldn't care enough to figure it out"

"I guess she always knew"

"I think she did. And she was right, she was the only one that figured him out"

"Well, you shouldn't be surprised at that one" she said, "Does John know that?"

"No, she asked me not to tell him" he said, "She said he wouldn't take the help if he knew it even remotely came from her. She was a mess, she didn't want to think about him with someone else. She told me she felt like she had to do it because she didn't want him to collapse from not eating or sleeping. She said she knew she'd always worry, and if someone else knew she'd worry less"

"Well if ever doubted her-"

After two cups of jello and a full meal for John, Liam had told John all about going to his Grandma's during the day and how he was getting ready for school, and when Natalie let him come to work with him and how he was going to be just like him when he grew up. John listened raptly, watching Liam talk and talk, thinking how much like Natalie he was and how lucky they were he'd gotten that from her.

"Daddy, I have to tell you about Momma, I've been looking out for her, just like you taught me"

"I knew you would"

"She was so sad right before we came here, I could tell cuz she got real quiet, but then i found out it was because she was sick. She's going to get better though"

"Yeah, she is"

"And then there was this time when Grandpa made her mad and I could tell because she would pull her lips together before she spoke and I went to work with her a lot" he said, "She never said anything to me about it, but I think they made up"

"That's good"

"I think she really misses you. Does this mean you're going to come home with us?"

"I think we need to get Momma better before we go home"

Liam yawned, "I hope Momma comes out of surgery soon"

"Liam" Eve said, "it's getting about time for your nap. Why don't you and I go back to my house and when we come back, I think Momma will be ready to see you"

Liam just nodded, and went into his Grandmother's arms.

"You did good with him brother"

"He makes it easy" he said, "He got so much from Natalie"

"Funny, she says the same thing about you"

"she did real good with him on her own"

"Yeah, she did"

"I just can't believe how long it's been and he still remembers"

"You taught him really well" he said, "It's actually kind of unbelievable that he could notice such small things"

"He's smart. He got that from Natalie, too"

"Well, he definitely didn't get that from you"

They were interrupted when they saw Natalie, still asleep being wheeled back into her room. They were both on their feet immediately, walking towards her room as the doctor approached them.

"Dr. McBain"

"Kelley, call me Michael" he said.

"Well, Michael, Natalie had no problems during surgery"

"That's good to hear"

"Is she going to be okay?" John asked.

"Kelley, this is my brother, John"

"Well, I'm sure Michael has told you, the surgery is just the first step, but we expect she is going to recover from the surgery with no problems"

"How is it that every time I open my eyes from the dark, there you are?"

"I need to be in there when she wakes up" he said, "she doesn't know I'm here, she has to know"
"You can go in. One visitor at a time"

"Go ahead, John. I'll call Mom"